Neptune Society Sherman Oaks Family was not allowed to attend the cremation without paying additional $700. Not what they advertise! Sherman Oaks California

 My brother had purchased a pre-paid burial at sea cremation in early 2000's.  He passed away June 25, 2014.  I contacted Neptune Society that weekend. 

I am disabled and on a very limited budget.  I was very grief-stricken over my brother's passing.  Now having to find a way to come up with extra money for the death certificates added to my stress.  Plus they were adding a processing fee, a mailing fee, etc.  I decided to pick the death certificate up myself at the neartest court house. 

When I told the representative that I didn't need death certificates, as I picked them up, she said I still needed to pay for filling the death certificate out.  Well, I thought it was a pre-paid plan, wasnt' it??  Then she went on to tell me that my brother had not yet been cremated.  She wasn't sure when he would be, as that was a separate entity.  As for the burial at sea, the family was not allowed to attend that unless I paid an additional $700!  So my plans for a memorial service were now on hold.  I certainly did not have $700.  I told her I did not have the $20 to pay for the "processing fee." and would need more time on that.  She said she would call me the following week and let me know when the burial at sea would take place.  That I would receive a map with the time and place.  This was for my records apparently.  As I said, I nor any family member was allowed to attend.

That was three weeks ago and I still have not heard anything.  My brother passed away on July 25th.  It is now Sept.  I am left feeling no sense of closure.  My family is still waiting to hear when and where the memorial service will be.  I have no answer.  I don't believe my brother would have signed up for such a sham. 

How am I to know what happened to my brother's ashes?  Is there any way to know what happened to his ashes..if he was in fact buried at sea?  Without anyone present during this scattering how am I to know?  No proof, no phone call.  Nothing. 

Beware of Neptune Society.  They do not deliver what they advertise.  Everything is at an additional cost..even attending the cremation service.  So wrong!